PATTERSON TRUE TO PREDICTION

By MIKE JENSEN, Special to the New York Times

Published: October 25, 1987

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 21—
A curious thing about Elvis Patterson is that he answers your questions before you ask them.

While a reporter was wondering why the cornerback who had the only interception in last year's Super Bowl was cut by the Giants, he volunteered a reason.

''What enhanced my leaving New York was my cramping,'' Patterson said. ''I was cramping for the last two or three games there and they couldn't find a solution for it. Here, the trainers work very well and they listen to me.'' Goat to Hero

How could the hero of the San Diego Chargers' 23-17 victory over the Los Angeles Raiders last Sunday have almost been the goat, after letting Mervyn Fernandez get behind him for some big catches?

''The guy caught a couple of balls,'' Patterson said. ''Hey, he gets paid, too. That's my answer to a lot of things. The good defensive backs are able to come back and perform. They don't go and hide.''

Patterson has come back. The man known as Toast because he was burned so often by receivers delivered in the final minute last Sunday. With the score tied, 17-17, Vince Evans, the Raiders' quarterback, looked for Fernandez on a curl pattern to the right sideline, but Patterson stepped in front, picked off the pass and ran 75 yards down, to - but not over -the goal line.

He danced along the line, running time off the clock, before stepping into the end zone with 18 seconds left.

''If my teammates hadn't come on the field, I would have stood by the end zone and let time expire, then stepped in,'' Patterson said. ''But I figured I better get in there or they would call a penalty.'' No Surprise to Him

The scenario was just as Patterson had predicted. ''Right before the game, I challenged my teammates,'' he said. ''I said I was going to be the one who was going to make the play that would win the game.''

He recognizes the irony of playing for a 4-1 team while the Giants struggle without a victory. ''I wish them all the success in the world,'' he said. ''I see that they're zero and five. That's one of those things that happen. They'll pull back in due time.'' Discussing the Rumors

Now in his fourth year in the league, Patterson is well aware of the rumors swirling around about why he even needed a second chance, that alcohol problems were the cause of his dismissal from the Giants.

''Because I'm out with people drinking, does that mean that I'm drinking?'' he asked.

''I'm not saying that I don't drink occasionally, but maybe half the world has a drink every now and then, and I do, too. I don't feel like I overuse it or abuse it.

''They offered a lot of players help. If I had a problem, why wasn't I offered help? That's a mystery to me and I think that should be a mystery to a lot of people. I received a lot of negative publicity about something that people don't understand.''

A spokesman for the Giants said that no one from the organization had ever stated or implied that alcohol problems were the reason Patterson was cut.

''Reporters went to unnamed other players,'' the spokesman, Ed Croke, said. ''There were stories that he missed a special teams meeting after the Chicago game because of a hangover.

''Parcells said he didn't fit into our plans. He said it had nothing to do with anything else.''

After being released by the Giants, Patterson had a tryout with the Raiders. ''The first guy to call me after he cleared the waivers was Al Davis,'' said Patterson's agent, Ernie Wright.

According to Wright, Patterson worked out with the Raiders on the Friday before the strike started, and the club wanted to hold off until the following Monday before making a decision on him.

Patterson ended up signing with the Chargers, but after reporting and practicing for two days with the replacement team, he walked out and joined the striking players.

A couple of days later, however, Patterson recrossed the picket line.

''There was something jingling in the back of my mind whether I should play or whether I should join the guys on strike,'' Patterson said. ''The main decision came from me. I talked to the guys on strike. I said, 'Hey, somebody's got to be there. It's very important to the future of the Chargers.' ''